Guidance on involvement of human participants in technology research

This site offers guidance on ethical issues that may arise when technology research involves the participation of people outside the research team. Even where research questions are purely technological, the dignity, rights, health, safety or privacy of human participants may still be affected by research. We address these issues in the context of the most common methods employed in technology research with human participants, including experiments, field studies, action research and surveys.

We do not consider research involving biological materials and animals (subject to the Animals Scientific Procedures Act) or medical research (for which it is necessary to consult a local committee of the NHS Research Ethics Service). Nor do we attempt to address research governance or research ethics more broadly.

What kind of research are you doing?

Which typically involve recruiting participants from outside the research team, asking them to come to your office or laboratory, and collecting data while they perform experimental tasks that you have defined.

Where your research is concerned with the design of products for ageing and disability inclusion.

Other categories of research

If your research involves the participation of people outside the research team, but does not come into any of the categories above, please contact us with guidance feedback, so that we can add further information to this guidance.

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